Press Release: EU Commission unveils European Green Deal

Today, the European Commission released the long-awaited European Green Deal, a strategic communication putting forward a programme to meet Europe’s long-term environment and climate goals.
 
To make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 – an objective that will be enshrined into legislation through a European Climate Law – the building sector is confirmed as one of the key sectors. To this end, the EU should engage together with Member States on a ‘renovation wave’ of private and public building stocks and work, together with stakeholders, on a renovation initiative to address the barriers and improve innovative financial measures. At the same time, the Deal confirms the need to implement circularity elements in the building and construction sector. To better reflect environmental concerns into price signals, the EU plans to revise energy taxation, while leaving open the possibility of extending the Emission Trading Scheme to the building sector.  
 
Reacting to the Communication, Emmanuelle Causse, Director of the International Union of Property Owners stated:

“The Green Deal and the renovation of the building stock can only happen with the strong support and engagement of EU households and the real estate sector. We have to get it right and this is not easy! We need to facilitate this process by addressing obstacles and empowering ALL actors in order to help them to face the challenges of the transition. We are ready to work with the Commission to make sure that the 350 million EU citizens that live in their own house as well as those who own properties are accompanied, rather than penalised, through their renovation journey. We need to ensure that EU, national and local financing schemes address, and not overlook, the fragmentation of the building stock. Our role is also to make sure that  solutions are proposed and barriers are tackled in a meaningful way in order to encourage property owners to make the shift.”